Environmental issues are of concern and current forecasts are that concern over pollution will only increase. In many areas, subsurface soil and groundwater contamination is a problem and it is necessary to remediate the subsurface contamination. To improve the effectiveness of methods used to remediate subsurface soil and groundwater contamination, fractures are created in the contaminated subsurface formations. The fractures create preferred seepage paths through the subsurface formations which increase the gross permeability of the formations and therefore, facilitate removal of contaminants.
Many devices for penetrating the ground to assist in creating fractures in subsurface formations or to cut and remove cut material have been considered. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,653 to Desbrow discloses an apparatus for penetrating and hydraulically fracturing well formations. The apparatus includes a jet head on the distal end of a casing, extending down into the well formation. Nozzles having orifices are provided in the jet head. The orifices communicate with the interior of the casing and the interior of the jet head. Pressurized fluid is pumped into the casing and out of the orifices to form cuts in the surrounding formations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,197 to Skidmore, Jr discloses an auger to penetrate the ground having a helical flight attached to a hollow central tube. The auger is designed to fit over a percussion hammer. Vent holes are provided at the bottom of the auger and are angled in the direction of the flight to assist upward movement of cuttings. Cutting teeth are provided at the bottom of the helical flight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458.765 to Feklin et al discloses a tool for forming a hole in compressible soft and tier compacting the soil during formation of the hole. The tool includes a plurality of coaxial cylindrical portions which decrease in diameter from a sizing part to a tool tip. Adjacent cylindrical portions define steps and are successively conjugated by transition portions. An axial bore is formed in the tool to allow fluid to flow through orifices to assist in forming the hole without causing any soil destruction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,058 to Millgard et al discloses a drill bit having drill teeth extending downwardly from the closed end of a sleeve. Radially extending drill blades are fixed to the sleeve. Cutting teeth are provided along the length of the blades. A pipe extends along the rear surface of each blade and has a plurality of orifices provided in it along its length. Fluid is pumped through the sleeve, along the pipes and out of the orifices to assist in cutting or removing of cut material.
Pat. No. 4,540,055 to Drummond et al discloses a drill bit having an adaptor sub and a bit. The sub has three passages permitting fluid flow from within the sub. Nozzles discharge fluid upwardly along the sub. Guides are provided on the exterior surface of the sub to direct fluid flow upwardly along the sub and drill string.
Although devices exist for penetrating the ground which include means to discharge fluid to create cuts in surrounding formations or to assist in the cutting and/or removal of cut material, devices specifically developed to create fractures in surrounding subsurface formations for the purpose of remediating subsurface soil and groundwater contamination have been overlooked. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and ground fracturing probe the forming fractures in subsurface formations.